Welcome to the GWTW Forum.Guests (non-registered users) can view the forum but are unable to post. If you don't have anything to say then why would you bother to register?One of the most popular sections of the GWTW Forum has long been the Swap Meet. A great place to sell old, seldom flown kites or to get great deals on used (gently flown) kites. Only registered users can see the Swap Meet section, let alone wheel and deal. 1000's (literally) of kites have changed hands thanks to the Swap Meet.There are several more benefits to being a registered user, but you'll have to join our little community to find out all the "secrets".Questions or concerns? Contact Steve ... just drop an email to: forum.gwtwkites@gmail.com

I couldn't really find an answer to these browsing on the Blue Moon website, and I don't want to bother Ken with such an lame inquiry when I can't afford to buy anything just yet.

Can you fly one of these kites by just staking it and letting it sit in the wind above you (i.e. while I fly my dualies)? Or is it only to be flown actively (which is also of course the coolest thing about the kite)?

And...the Ichiban. Can you give me an idea of how high you can fly this thing...and still enjoy it's design? I don't really have a good idea of how big it is 'in the sky'. It looks like it could have angles were it's very hard to see even?

okay....I have not heard of anyone getting a 61/49 stable....it would probably need one heck of a tail....i would personally shoot for a tail of each end of the wings for more stability....but it was designed to be a dynamic lower wind single line....just have to keep that in mind......get one...(you will love it anyhow) and play....try it out!!!!

The Ichiban....i do not fly my single lines very high up....usually i max out at ~200' of line....the higher it is the longer it takes to bring it back in....plus i do like the massive look to it lower as well......I would think that it would still look great at 500' or at 100'........

because it is so 3 dimensional you can see all the parts at different angles....very very cool!!!!!

obi= save your pence and get them both!!!!!! you know Ken's quality...and honestly I am not certain of many more single lines that have more lust associated with them than the Ichiban!!!!!

Jon Trennophol told me he had flown the 61/49 in a stable mode mostly by adjusting the center line and flying with a flat tail. He'd sent the kite back to Ken at that point so couldn't tell me what the exact settings were. I haven't tried it with mine yet.

When I fly my Ichiban, I just put it up until it looks good. I really don't know how far up it is but I'd guess no more than 200' and probably more like 150'. I'm a subscriber to "Why fly any kite so high that it looks small"?

Can you fly one of these kites by just staking it and letting it sit in the wind above you (i.e. while I fly my dualies)? Or is it only to be flown actively (which is also of course the coolest thing about the kite)?

An untended 61/49 is liable to smack you in the head ...

One flown by Ken McNeil prone to do the same thing ... but perhaps hes just got it in for me

It's the kinetic energy of the 61/49 that is appealing to me, in both flying and visual enjoyment. I've not tried stabilizing the kite nor do I intend to. For me it's not what the kite is about.

I'm also of the thinking that single line kites should only be flown high enough to be out of ground turbulence. Why fly a visually striking kite so high that its true beauty can't be appreciated. Hard to tell from looking at just photos but the Ichiban is impressive no matter what the viewing angle (in my some what biased opinion).

Logged

Steve ... Ancient One-look to the sky with imagination, grasp the wind with outstretched arms and take flight

Can you fly one of these kites by just staking it and letting it sit in the wind above you (i.e. while I fly my dualies)? Or is it only to be flown actively (which is also of course the coolest thing about the kite)?

obi

Bu-bu-but why?

The 61/49 just looks so frickin' cool doing a long sweeping curved glide. Then about 20 feet off the deck, pulling on the line turns the kite back towards you. As you pull faster, the kite accelerates and climbs. The trailing edge of the top sails flutter and settle as it rises above the tree line turbulence. The panels catch the last of the setting sun, and all the panels start doing the "chromatic dance" as the kite banks and spins.

Obi - Even if you can get the 61/49 to fly stably, it would look pretty much like an eddy from the flyer's perspective. IMHO the beauty of the 61/49 (or any Marconi/Platz) is that it's a three dimensional design, something that's lost if it's just hanging.

I'll typically fly my Ichiban at 200 feet or so. Somebody told me a long time ago that the bigger/ more special/ more prized the kite, the shorter the line. One spec against the clouds looks pretty much the same as the next.

Just so everyone is sure about my question...I understand that this kite's primary grace is the active flight. I just wanted to know if anyone had/does have a way to fly it statically as well. Thanks for the replies!obi

go for a type of tail that produces more drag....a bucket tail...tube tail....sock style...something that will "catch" the wind more...as opposed to a strip flat tail that just is long and cool looking....

heck a big enough/large enough amount of tails will get a dual line to fly stable as a single line (a guy in Newport actually tried it......weird but it worked..)

Our forum is made possible by the good folks whose ads appear above and by the members of our community (PayPal donation button at bottom)In case you missed it each ad is linked to the sponsors web site. So please, take a moment and visit our sponsors sites as this forum wouldn't be possible with out them.Interested in running an ad for your business or kiting event? Contact Steve at advertise.gwtwkites@gmail.com for a quote.